Michael Kopech is back, this time as a free agent
Normally, the Rockies' signing Michael Lorenzen to a one-year, $9 million contract wouldn't make Red Sox followers bat an eye. But when the news surfaced that the pitcher had agreed to his deal with Colorado, the social media floodgates opened.
With the Rockies making their first signing of the offseason, it officially handed the Red Sox a distinction few could have imagined they would be carrying on Jan. 8: They are the only team in Major League Baseball not to make a free agent signing.
For a Red Sox offseason that is already peppered with uncomfortable narratives, this was another shot across the bow of Craig Breslow and Co. The almighty Sox, who had traded their best hitter (Rafael Devers) for what was perceived as a new level of luxurious payroll flexibility, were living this very unique life of free agent inactivity.
So, what does it all really mean? Right now, not much. (With an emphasis on RIGHT NOW.)
The only real free agent signings that could be perceived as misses for the Red Sox are Pete Alonso, who inked a five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles, and maybe Kyle Schwarber (who was always likely going back to the Phillies). That's not to say there haven't been useful acquisitions made by teams that could have helped the Red Sox at fairly reasonable rates.
The Red Sox, for instance, chose to allocate players to answer their starting rotation questions, dealing for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. Their American League East counterparts, however, dove into the free agent market with the Blue Jays aggressively securing Dylan Cease, while the Orioles got the usually steady Zach Eflin at just one year, $10 million.
A case could be made for both sides of that equation, as can targeting various free agent bullpen arms that have come off the board. But, so be it. None of them were the kind of make-or-break kind of players the Sox or their followers should lose sleep over not securing.
In reality, the panic over being the last team standing when it comes to not signing a free agent is a fairly lazy narrative ... RIGHT NOW. Money has been spent on taking on the contracts of Gray and Willson Contreras, and, once again, most of the players who have come off the board weren't must-haves.
The Blue Jays have shown the kind of successful aggression that should help them build on the World Series excitement. And the Orioles have reversed course from a dud of an offseason last year, committing to almost $200 million in free agency. But certainly, a case can be made that the Sox have kept pace while outpacing a Yankees club that has spent $29 million in free agency, $22.05 million of it on Trent Grisham accepting his qualifying offer.
Yet, here we are, with the recently-published win total over-unders putting the Yankees at the top of the A.L. East and the Orioles at No. 4.
But if the Red Sox are going to cling to this benefit of the doubt, it would certainly seem they won't be able to live this life as the only free agent-less club and classify it as no big deal. Right now? Sure. Once Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette are off the list of available free agents? Not so much.
Other than an ill-advised approach to the Alonso pursuit, the Red Sox haven't seemingly had any big free agent swings and misses. Whiffing on Bregman, or Bichette, would be Bugs Bunny-esque.
Bregman has always appeared to be the Red Sox's primary free agent target, with the likelihood of a Ketel Marte never seeming more than a glimmer in Red Sox fans' eyes, and the hopes of winning the battle for Bichette more of a long shot. And, according to multiple media outlets, the team has already made an "aggressive" offer to Bregman.
But in this case, the "aggressive" can only be defined by one party, and it's not the Red Sox. Playing the waiting game and getting Bregman closer to the team's terms worked last year. This time around? It would seem to be a much more dangerous game to play. And if they don't get Bregman and also whiff on Bichette ... that's when this free agent frustration should truly take root.
Until then, enjoy the anticipation. Right now, that's all we have got.